The Rockets played their best basketball of the season in a close 79-78 victory over the talented Derby Trailblazers, marking Reading’s sixth win of the season.
Jermiah Jenkins was the spark plug for the Rockets, tallying 20 points on 50% shooting, and adding six rebounds and five assists. Troy Cracknell, who unusually struggled shooting the ball, put up a 16 point, 12 rebound double double. Reis Pinnock put up 14 for the Rockets on 62% shooting, but it was his defense that was key to the Rockets win.
Reading struggled to contain Derby’s Malcolm Smith, who put up 33 points and nine rebounds on 13 for 25 shooting. Raheem May-Thompson was the only other Trailblazer in double digits as he put up 17 points and grabbed six rebounds.
The game started well for the Rockets, Jordan Jackson won the tip and Cracknell set a great screen for Jenkins who rose up for a quick two point bucket to get the game going.
Both teams scored well early, but Derby found the edge as Jase Harrison and Malcolm Smith would go on a quick 9-0 run for the Blazers to make it a seven point Derby lead. However, it didn’t dampen the mood of the packed Loddon Valley crowd, nor did it dampen the Rockets players as Ben Dixon and Jenkins would knock down back to back threes to keep the game alive.
The scoring would slow down in the final four minutes of the quarter. Two tough layups by Pinnock and Lewis Champion on back to back plays late in the quarter would bring the score to 23-20 to the Rockets and that’s how the quarter ended.
Derby would open the second quarter with a quick four points, bringing the Trailblazers back into the lead. But the Australian, Dixon, was having none of it and hit a big three to get the Rockets going.
Dixon wasn’t done there either. On the next possession he drove into two Derby defenders and hit a lovely right handed layup. The two teams would trade buckets until the score was tied 33 a piece with five minutes to go in the half.
The spark plug Jenkins would then hit two threes to wrestle away the lead and the Rockets didn’t look back. Including those threes, Reading would end the quarter on a 15-8 run, ending the half up 48-41.
The Rockets would be in for a scare in the third. The Trailblazers’ coaches would make excellent adjustments at the half and completely halt Reading’s offense.
Reading didn’t score in the opening three minutes and all of a sudden, the lead was just one and a Pinnock layup couldn’t stop the bleeding as it was tied just a minute later.
With the game tied at 54, Cracknell, who had been seriously struggling to find his form, hit a big three in the corner and was fouled on the play. He converted the four point play and the Rockets would just hold onto the lead going into the fourth.
Chants of “Let’s go Rockets” were met with “Defense” chants from the Derby fans as the whole of Loddon Valley would really get into the game throughout the fourth quarter.
Derby would grab the advantage early, opening up a seven point lead after two May-Thompson free throws. But it was Jenkins once again who refused to let his team go down without a fight, nailing a massive three to the delight of the crowd.
Jenkins, along with Cracknell, would combine for a further nine points, including Cracknell just beating the shot clock, nailing a long two. The crowd was loud but quickly quieted by May-Thompson who hit a three to tie the game up at 76.
Two free throws would give Derby a two point lead, however Fin Porter would respond with a monster two handed dunk over May-Thompson to raise the roof off Loddon Valley and bring the game to 78-78.
The Rockets forced a miss and got the ball with five seconds to go. It was inbounded to Cracknell, who drove to the lane, and was fouled on an attempted layup. He hit the first and intentionally missed the second to give Derby no time to respond.
It was the best win of the season for the Rockets, beating a great Derby side who also played some great basketball. The Rockets will look to pull off another upset as they travel to Nottingham to face the Hoods on Saturday.